Diversity of lactic acid bacteria associated with ducks

The diversity of lactic acid bacteria occurring in the crop and intestinal content of ducks of different ages (5 to 34 days) was evaluated using the R APD-PCR technique and comparative sequence analysis of 16S rRNA. Cluster an alysis derived from isolates grown on Rogosa agar used for the enrichment o f lactic acid bacrteria, revealed at least twenty six different groups of o rganisms representing species, subspecies and strains belonging to Streptoc occus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Weissella and Lactobacillus. Homofermenta tive and heterofermentative lactobacilli were identified, belonging to the phylogenetically defined Lb. acidophilus, Lb. salivarius and Lb. reuteri gr oups.